The research that was done showed that patients could simultaneously recognize the direction of the colored lines in the center and on the sides of the field of vision. This means experimental treatment Can be used to restore functional vision.
– The fact that patients were able to see a coherent image is exciting news, as all previous retinal transplants have resulted in severe vision distortion – said the professor. Daniel Balanker, lead author of a research paper published in Nature Communications.
macular degeneration (AMD), which affects 200 million people worldwide each year (most of them over the age of 60), causes patients to gradually lose their sight in the center of the field of view. because Peripheral vision By their nature, they are characterized by low accuracy, which makes everyday work even more difficult. people suffer from AMD They have difficulty reading, recognizing faces and performing basic activities.
AMD occurs when Photoreceptors in the center of the retina deteriorate. These tightly stacked cells at the back of the eye capture photons of light and send signals to neurons that go to the brain. When there are no photoreceptors, the brain does not get the information it needs to build a detailed, consistent picture.
Current treatments for AMD aren’t perfect – they prevent disease progression, but they do They are unable to stop photoreceptor degeneration It does not restore sight. Almost two decades ago, Prof. Suggest to deny Create a mesh suitIt would replace the photoreceptors and take over the function of receiving light – as long as the retinal neurons that transmit the signal to the brain are healthy. Scientists have created such a device – Small slice only 2 mm long. It picks up electrical signals and sends them to the brain, returning perception to the center of the field of view. Video camera glasses that transmit images to the implant have also been developed.
We replace photoreceptors lost in macular degeneration with age-related PV pixels. And we activate them using invisible light projected from augmented reality glasses – the professor added. Balanker.
Soldiers of scientists Five volunteers over the age of 60Those with advanced forms of AMD. They all had functional retinal inner neurons, so they were ideal candidates for experimental implantation. A few months after surgery, it turned out that patients were able to Perception of light patterns in the center of the field of view – It was high in 2020
Further observation of patients showed that the implants had fused into their eyes, Enable peripheral vision. Visual acuity is achieved at the level of 20/460, which allows patients to see large letters. Scientists are now working to improve the effectiveness of the device with the goal of achieving 20/100 visual acuity.
